On February 15, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat
Mirziyoyev received the Vice President of General Electric Company Ronald James
Pollett, who is in Uzbekistan on a working visit.

General Electric is one of the
leading global multidisciplinary corporations. Its activities today cover such
areas as power engineering, mechanical engineering, precision engineering,
electrical engineering, automated control systems, modern medical technologies,
financial sector and many other spheres.

The company operates in more than
180 countries of the world, its enterprises employ over 300 thousand people. As
a result of the last year, the revenues of this American company exceeded $120
billion.

During the meeting, intensification
of General Electric activities in Uzbekistan was noted with satisfaction.

Currently a number of priority
projects on modernization of energy infrastructure facilities, including
construction of modern combined-cycle plants at Takhiatash TPP, the second
phase of expanding Tashkent TPP capacities, construction of Pskem HPP, development
of gas transport system, as well as joint programs in the sphere of civil
aviation and healthcare are being developed and implemented in Uzbekistan.

The Head of the state emphasized the
importance of further strengthening mutually beneficial technological
partnership in the energy sector, as well as expanding cooperation in the
sphere of production cooperation.

President of Uzbekistan received the
Vice President of General Electric

Particular attention was paid to
issues of interaction in the sphere of training highly qualified national
personnel, including involving leading foreign specialists and experts.

Ronald James Pollett expressed
sincere gratitude to the President of Uzbekistan for the warm welcome and full
support of projects and programs of bilateral cooperation in high-tech
industries.

He confirmed readiness of General
Electric Company in development of long-term and full-scale cooperation with
enterprises and organizations of Uzbekistan.

On February 15, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat
Mirziyoyev had a telephone conversation with the President of the Kyrgyz
Republic Sooronbay Jeenbekov.

The heads of states exchanged
sincere congratulations on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of
establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Uzbekistan and
the Kyrgyz Republic.

It was noted with deep satisfaction
that over the past period, the centuries-old ties of friendship and
good-neighborliness between the two fraternal people have been strengthened,
and the mutually beneficial Uzbek-Kyrgyz cooperation has been significantly
expanded.

It was emphasized that bilateral
relations have reached the level of strategic partnership due to political will
and practical steps of the sides.

In 2017, three high-level visits
were successfully held, which resulted in important agreements on current
issues of cooperation. The Agreement on the Uzbek-Kyrgyz State Border and other
documents were signed.

Indicators of trade turnover is
dynamically growing, the scale of production cooperation is expanding.
Strategic projects are being implemented in the sphere of transport
communications, in particular, on launching a road transport and construction
of a railway along Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan – China route.

Effective mechanisms of cooperation
between the regions of the two states have been launched. Cultural and
humanitarian exchanges have been intensified.

During the conversation, the heads
of the states emphasized the need for timely practical implementation of
agreements reached during the mutual visits at the highest level. Views were
also exchanged on other issues of bilateral and multilateral agenda.

In conclusion, the President of the
Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of the Kyrgyz
Republic Sooronbay Jeenbekov confirmed determination on strengthening
friendship, good-neighborliness and strategic partnership in the interests of the
two countries and people.

Production of sheep wool lanolin
substance – a valuable raw material for the pharmaceutical industry – is to be
established in the free economic zone Boisun Pharm.

“This substance is produced in a few countries of the world,” said the
head of the FEZ M.Ochilov. “There is enough raw material in the Boisun district
to produce high-quality, cheap lanolin substance. It is known that the hypodermic
glands of sheep give off not only fats, but also the substance lanolin, which,
with the help of a special technology with washed wool, is separated and
re-processed to eliminate odor. Our businessmen, who studied this process
abroad, expressed their desire to use modern technology in the Boisun district.
Since the first days of the new year, the implementation of the corresponding
business project has begun. This will be a non-waste technology, after the
separation of lanolin from wool will produce felting for the national economy.”

Lanolin, which has the property of rapidly absorbing into the human
skin, is considered an important raw material for the pharmaceutical and
perfume industry. It is widely used as a binder in the manufacture of medicinal
candles and ointments.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received February 13 the Deputy Prime
Minister, Minister of Strategy and Finance of the Republic of Korea,
Co-Chairman of the bilateral Intergovernmental Commission, Kim Dong Yeon.

Warmly welcoming the guest, the head
of our state noted with deep satisfaction the favorable dynamics of expanding
bilateral multilateral cooperation, the consistent strengthening of
centuries-old ties of friendship and strategic partnership between the two
countries.

Last year, the volume of mutual
trade exceeded $ 1.3 billion. In accordance with the approved road map, today
more than 60 investment projects are being prepared and implemented to create
modern facilities and modernize infrastructure in our country for a total of
more than $ 6 billion. cooperation in the economy of Uzbekistan attracted South
Korean investments in the amount of $ 7 billion, created more than 500 enterprises
with the participation of companies of the Republic of Korea.

During the meeting, a substantive
exchange of views took place on the prospects for further expansion of
cooperation in trade and economic, investment, innovation, banking and finance
and other spheres.

The President of Uzbekistan
sincerely congratulated the leadership and the people of the Republic of Korea
on the beginning of the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang and wished this
globally successful sporting event to be successful.

The President of Uzbekistan approved a set of measures for the
development of inbound tourism.

Among them are the Plan of Practical
Measures for Further Simplifying the Visa Regime and a List of Countries and
Regions for which those responsible for ensuring enhanced interaction in the
development of tourism are assigned.

Starting from May 1, 2018, a system
of issuing entry short-stay visas will be introduced upon arrival to foreign
passengers following transit for a period of 72 hours, stipulating the
requirement that they have a ticket and visa (if necessary) to a third country
and payment of consular fees, as well as the order of their short-term
controlled exit beyond the border zone of the airport for a familiarization
tour of approved tourist programs.

Road maps will be developed to
increase the tourist flow to Uzbekistan from priority countries and regions and
a plan of practical measures for the development of pilgrimage tourism in our
republic.

Great changes have to be made to the
national air carrier. The national airline Uzbekistan Airways was given the
right to sell air tickets for international flights below the cost price. Such
a measure was adopted to ensure the competitiveness of flights, the said
resolution says. In accordance with the document, the tax base Uzbekistan
Airways will be reduced by the amount of the sale of air tickets at reduced
prices. On the aircraft of the national air company, it will be possible to
make calls, send SMS texts and use the Internet. The plan of measures for
providing additional paid services on aircraft of the national carrier is
planned to be approved by March 31.

In addition, the State Committee for
Tourism Development of Uzbekistan will develop a concept for the development of
the international airport Karshi. It is planned to withdraw it from the
structure of the national air company Uzbekistan Airways. On its territory will
be introduced the regime of Open Skies, including with the involvement of
low-cost airlines. The concept should be prepared before July 1, based on the
study of advanced foreign experience.

Until March 1, 2018, under the
conditions of outsourcing, the Call Center will be organized to provide
operational assistance to tourists with a single short nationwide telephone
number.

Business entities that have
initiated to establish indexes in foreign languages (English, Russian and
others) in order to improve the orientation of tourists, are given the right to
place on the indexes advertising information of the products (services and
works) produced by them, while the total area of this information should not be
more than 40% of the index area in compliance with the requirements of the legislation
in this area.

The State Customs Committee of the
republic together with the interested ministries and departments within two
months should submit to the Cabinet of Ministers a draft government decision
that provides for simplification of the procedure for exporting gold products
from Uzbekistan by foreign tourists, as well as measured ingots manufactured in
accordance with the established procedure.